Case Study
Name: Karen Trem
Current Position:
Postgraduate Curriculum Leader
Employer: Doncaster Business
School at University Centre Doncaster
Background
Karen entered the engineering world after
completing her Mechanical Engineering degree at Bristol University
where she was sponsored by Midlands-based firm Tube Investments
(TI).
Karen gained employment at TI, working for
British Aluminium (now British Alcan Aluminium) in London, where
she worked as a shift supervisor, projects officer and Production
Controller.
A role in production then followed at consumer
electronics company Thorn EMI Ferguson Ltd at High Wycombe –
one of the first EETPU (Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications
and Plumbing Union) sites in the country.
Karen then moved out of production and into
personnel, completing her CIPD qualifications before moving to
Osram GEC at Wembley holding the position of Group Training
Officer. Later, as Factory Personnel Manager she was part of the
Factory Management Team.
It was then that Karen moved up to South
Yorkshire to start a new career as a trainer and Management
Consultant, moving three years ago to Doncaster Business School at
High Melton, (where she gained for her MBA in 1998). She still
keeps in touch with the engineering industry by lecturing on the
MBA Operations Management module at University Centre
Doncaster.
What she thinks
There are common misconceptions about
engineering. People think engineering is a ‘dirty’ job but it can
be far from that. There are obviously the hands-on jobs but there
are plenty of other engineering jobs out there, too. Not only are
there management jobs but there are plenty of design and ergonomic
jobs around. It is a wide field to be involved in.
Although it is a very male-orientated field –
on my degree course there were only 10 females to 400 males – women
can make it in any industry as long as they have the knowledge and
determination.
As a lecturer, it’s so important to keep up to
date with the goings on in the industry so I try and include as
many site visits to firms as possible. Manufacturing is very
exciting and I’ve been involved in some very interesting projects.
There’s nothing like seeing how something is made – it makes you
appreciate that product a lot more.
For more advanced courses such as Degrees and HNC/Ds please click here.